kiwoamohican~ We're on the same page there! Our society's inability to learn from the past is our downfall. Experience is the best teacher, yet, the new age intellects with their own version of right and wrong seem to think they can re-invent the wheel. That's where politics has gone wrong. The love of money and power. When this mentality becomes the "norm".....we have problems. We can get this turned around. It's going to take the people who actually have a clue what's going on to have the courage to step out and prove that it actually is okay to live a moral and principled life and be happy.

darius:
I actually was involved in politics for a while. I was a pollster/analyst for a campaign (don't want to say who's it was). It was a good experience, but really just showed me how corrupt politics is, and how most in it are big egoed narcissists. Blogojevich in IL, is NOT an exception, trust me on that one. He was just unlucky and got caught. That stuff he did goes on ALL THE TIME. Most in politics are in it for all the WRONG reasons.
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It's very interesting what a Scottish professor at the University of Edenborough named Alexander Tyler wrote way back in 1787 of why a democratic/republic style of government would always fail.
Here is an article off snopes (a conservative web site..full disclosure here) about it:
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http://www.snopes.com/politics/ballot/at...
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Whether our republic becomes so apathetic that it ultimately fails remains to be seen, but the progression outlined does seem logical, and if nothing more makes one think.

kiowamohican~ I don't disagree with what you're saying. I will ask you this. If you feel that way about these politicians, why don't you help change this in regards to the leaders that are thrust into these positions? When we come into this world, we're all geniuses, and taught to be stupid. The presidents come into this world the same way as you and me and begin their journey to leadership the same way we do....as citizens of this country. We have the ability to run for those same positions and turn the tide back the right way. The problem we face today is the fact that honesty and integrity aren't cool anymore to mainstream America because no leaders have been held accountable to it. It's become acceptable. Ignorance has been accepted as knowledge today.

I truly do hope Obama makes some good changes but so far I haven't seen any. Not with the aid to foreign countries to fund abortion and the other changes he's implementing. When a country turns on itself and murders innocent lives of unborn children we are doomed! We are on the fast track going down an enormous hill and if someone doesn't do something soon we are in big trouble with the government controlling all our lives. If unborn children are nothing, then we will be too if we become too much of a burden. God help us!!!!

I guess this is an example of change and new direction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opxuUj6vF...

And, they will probably be wrong again tomorrow.

why-the-fuss!!
BINGO my man! No politician cares about you or I. It's all about personal power, and taking care of those who got you in their (gave you huge $$ in campaign contributions). Just look at the most recent DEBACLE of TARP. You had both sides pass that sham into law. A bill that was the biggest pork give away, and sell out of the American public ever done. Obama, McCain, and Bush were all for this (both Mccain and Obama supported and voted FOR it in the senate), and look what it did.
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* ALL their big campaign doners from the financial sector have been handed massive executive bonuses (yes bonuses for running the company into bankruptcy) from the billions the government handed to them from TARP funds.. Buy hey they gave millions to the politicians, so you scratch my back, I scratch yours. That is how things work when the government is involved after all.
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* you have all the major banks now hoarding the TARP $$, refusing to lend it out (which was the whole purpose of TARP), and essentially depositing it so they can wait to buy other risky assets, or smaller failing banks.
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$850 BILLION that has done NOTHING at all, but add to the national debt, and make many political cronies rich.

This is all about power and giving back to those who got you elected. If people don't see that, they are beyond naive.

Good leaders don't dwell on the past! They learn from it. I've made it clear I've not been an Obama backer during the election. I have chosen to rally behind this man and do my part to help create the change this country needs. I give Barack Obama the highest praise for his ability to cast a vision for the future and his ability to reach the people who most need to change. US. If this early start is any indicator of the type of leader we're going to have for the next 4 years, this country is headed in the right direction! God is good.

So what has been going on for the last 4 years? I sure remember some of the current members of congress crowing about all the wonderful things they were going to do for us-hmmm if this is the result -thanks but no thanks.
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By the way over the past year or so the congressional approval rating has been no higher 28% in any one poll and over the past few months it has been in the low 20's to high teens. People always talk about Bush's low approval rating - he looks popular compared to congress. It isn't about one person - it is the collective group that should be held accountable.
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Honestly - how many politicians no matter which side of the aisle they are on- truly care about you or me? If they did they would look beyond their special interests and pork barrel spending. The government needs to figure out a way to control their spending. They make GM/Citibank look fiscally responsible.

fuss

From 2002-2004 GW had the executive, legislative and judical branch. 4 years later...Welcome to the problems of today

Why-the-fuss: Good question-and the other side of the coin is-how soon will Obama be blamed for past mistakes not yet rectified?

So how long will Bush be blamed if Obama is unable to make the changes he has promised?
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At what point will he be the sole focus of all of our countries issues?
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I certainly want him to succeed because our future is at stake, but he has been built up so much that either one of two things will happen:
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1- he won't be able to attain half of what he promised and will be considered a failure and people will begin to turn on him
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2- excuses will be made that he wanted to do things but was unable to because of A B and C.
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Comparing him to some of our great presidents seems a bit premature to me considering he really hasn't done anything yet other than get elected. Time will tell but the mountain is huge.
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One final thought - anyone that wants to blame Bush solely is ignorant. Democrats have controlled congress for most of his presidency, do you honestly believe they had nothing to do with the problems we have today- has anyone looked at their approval rating?

nurse4u, I am sure they incurred costs doing this-but I believe they closed off the perimeter to everyone (not just homeless) for security reasons. I suppose it couldn't be looked at in the same way as warrantless evictions. I believe the homeless were taken to shelters outside of this perimeter, but were not stopped from standing in the waiting lines with everyone else when the time came to (attempt to) view the inauguration, or they had the option to view the inauguration on TVs in the shelters they were taken to.
I've read that for past inaugurations they were often arrested and/or provided with tickets out of town (which also must have cost a bundle).

Maybe the cost had to do with removing the 600+ homeless individuals that call Pennsylvania Ave their home, in time for the President to take his oath of office.

whoanellie:
Yeah, your right on with those comments. It's kind of funny how people in this country believe we live in some sort of dictatorship where the president gets all credit and blame for anything that happens. The reality is that congress as a super majority body has FAR more power then the president ever has. Keep in mind that most of the nonsense that Bush did...Invading Iraq, passing a TARP plan to nationalize banks, and increasing the federal budget from $2 trillion (when he took office) to $3 trillion (when he left) and creating MASSIVE deficits. ALL that was passed by congress. He had a majority Republican congress behind him to start, but the majorities were small, and the final 2 years it was Democratically controlled. yet congress still jumped on board going into Iraq, passing TARP, and every mass spending increase of government that was thrown out there.
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The biggest danger in a republic style government like ours, is when you have unopposed, dictator like power. That was the case with FDR. Not only did you have huge majorities in both houses of congress, but he also tried packing the court with judges where he could ram rod anything through, and never have it knocked down, even by the courts, as unconstitutional. If it was not for WWII, the country likely never would have come out of the great depression, as the New deal was a total economic disaster that was doing nothing but increasing the size, scope, and intrusion of the federal government.

Oh you know I didn't know that the President ran the country all by himself!! I thought the democratic congress helped on that score, but I guess I'm wrong(ha ha) So President Bush caused all these problems himself? and I thought he was also trying to clean up after the last administration too! wow! I didn't know the President had all the power! I guess you all know this is sarcasm! We better hope this President can work with dems and repubs as well. He's got his work cut out for him, but don't worry, he's giving us change we can believe in! especially since he's put in old clinton cronies and hillary at the helm. Come oon Obama let's see you walk on water! and also please remember that you are half white because of your mother ,who actually helped raise you. even after your black father abandoned you and her!

Kiowamohican: You are very welcome, sir.

Considering the alternative... McCain? Good grief! And when he croaked, we would have had Palin running the country? Ok...
The republicans got us into this mess, lets see what the Dems can do.

Regardless, it sucks... who ever is in office. What a mess he has to clean up. May God be with him!

coast:
DUH, of course the sell off had nothing to do with Obama. My whole point was that many were buying into the markets solely because of Obama's new message of hope, change, blah blah blah. The turn around (from the dow at 7500) started the day Obama announced Geitner as his sec of the treasury. A notion that means NOTHING. The reality was all the horrific news was out there weeks ago, and people just ignored it because the media kept driving this whole positive message of Obama being soon there to save the world. The true sharps of the market were just waiting for the inauguration day to unload their 10-20% gains from the past month or so; as they reality of the awful banking/financial news would set in. The problems of the financial sector are FAR worse then anyone wants to tell you. We are sitting on the biggest ticking time bomb ever seen. I said all during the Presidential election that it matters nothing who takes office. There is nothing that can be done at this point. The melt down has only just begun.
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Sarahb: Thank you for the kind words. Much appreciated! ;-)

kiowamohican the big instigator, and adding to his group of haters! I always wanted to buy him a jersey of the imfamous XLF player "he hate me" when we played ball together. I don't think the market sell off really had anything to do with Obama though; and more of the financial news stories. In any event it was a very historic day for America and made many brothers from the hood like myself happy. We have come a long way in the last few decades, and I hope Obama can turn the country in the right direction. He will really have his work cut out for him in the environment he takes over in.

Turn it around, and think about all the people being employed or working overtime during the inauguration. All of those hotels and planes being full; all of those restaurants and shops and cab drivers making money. Yes, the government is paying a big chunk of the expense, but freedom isn't free.

I think he will do a good job. I am not saying that. It just seems ridiculous when we have so many people needing more.

Let them eat cake, right?

By the way, the actual inauguration ceremony itself will cost about $1.24 million.

nurse4u, one to two million people are flooding into DC to be neer the inauguration ceremony, or attend parties over the weekend. The vast majority of the money is for security (extra police/fire/medical people from out of state; sanitation; clean-up; etc.) The Obama administration has raised over $45 million in private donations to cover any official parties/functions. How do you propose keeping a couple million people from entering DC, and still save a bunch of money?

I agree for practical reasons, nurse4u, but do you think President Obama alone is using his "right" to such inauguration events? I'm sure many "demand" such an event in conjunction with a new presidency. And some spending, of course, IS called for, such as security and the comfort (stations) of all the onlookers (and I don't know how much of the frills are paid for with private money-or with "our" money anyway)-but what would Obama's detractors have said had he chosen not to have typical inaugural events? Because some already think he is not worthy because he is not a "typical" president in their eyes? Real question for speculation.

Zoom-No, I was not kidding. We have people in our own country who do not have jobs, homes, or food for their children. Really, what right does the President have to spend millions to be sworn into office?

Yes, I know it is a historical day in our country and I wish Obama the best. Seriousely though, MILLIONS of dollars??

I suppose a messiah could change things overnight. To bad President Obama isn't one.

Jim..you are too funny!! I'm still so amazed that these people think the "Messiah" is going to change things overnight. Just wait....

You're, kidding right? I was using sarcasm.

Zoom-Not a bad idea. You do not spend money you do not have. Aren't we in a Depression (or at the least, very close to one)?

Wow, the cost of all this staggers me. It's a shame that all the money spent couldn't go for something a little better, like feeding those in poverty, or buying homes for the homeless?

tjncj, the vast majority of the cost is for security from the million or so people that swamp DC. These costs are unavoidable. Obama is popular. What do you propose, shutting down DC and the state of Virginia?

If the security and clean up for the 2005 inauguration was $115 million this will be $250 million. The security and amount of people to pick up after are not even close.

Kiowamohican: Your selfish glee is a perfect example of what is wrong with America today. Reminds me of the toddler running toward the gift-laden Christmas tree: "AND IT'S ALL FOR ME!!!" Truly sad excuse for a human.

Today marks the end of an error. Seemed to me that the only two people not smiling at the ceremony were the two guys who had their chance at the helm and screwed it up.

I hear later this afternoon, Obama is going down to the Reflecting Pool and walk on water.

...buried in a recent New York Times article published one week before the controversy erupted over the cost of Obama's inauguration, the newspaper reported that in 2005, "the federal government and the District of Columbia spent a combined $115.5 million, most of it for security, the swearing-in ceremony, cleanup and for a holiday for federal workers"

Keep in mind, that $115 million price tag was separate from the money Bush backers bundled to put on the inauguration festivities. For that, they raised $42 million. So the bottom line for Bush's 2005 inauguration, including the cost of security? It added up to $157 million.

EXCELLENT DAY!
The market has sold off huge today (inauguration day) just as I have told people it would for months. Late Friday afternoon marked what may go down in history as the biggest sucker rally of all time; as idiots were actually buying into the markets thinking there would be an inauguration day rally, hahaha. This hope and change is going to be a BLAST. Made a few thousand in 2 hours today alone shorting the market! We still have 3 hours of trading to go.
YES WE CAN!!

I never said it was excessive in comparison to Bush, I just stated the cost is excessive especially in these hard times. But since you brought it up, Media Matters is a liberal organization created to bash conservatives and skews things towards their way of thinking. The BBC reported Bush in 2005 as $42MM in PRIVATE donations and $17MM million in security. I would tend to believe them first.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4187...

Media make false comparison of inauguration costs

Summary: Leading up to President-elect Barack Obama's swearing-in ceremony, several media outlets have advanced the claim that Obama's inauguration will cost significantly more than President Bush's 2005 inauguration. Citing "estimates" ranging from $150 million to $170 million in total costs for Obama's inaugural events, the outlets have compared the purported total costs in 2009 to the approximately $42 million in private funds spent on Bush's 2005 inauguration. However, these outlets omit the additional costs of security, transportation, and other expenses incurred by federal, state, and local governments in conjunction with the events in 2005 while including them in the projections for the 2009 events.

Media Matters has noted that when the costs incurred by the federal government and the District of Columbia are factored in, the total cost of Bush's 2005 inauguration was reportedly around $157 million. The Washington Post reported in January 2005 that the cost of Bush's second inauguration, which the Post reported to be $40 million, "does not include the cost of a web of security, including everything from 7,000 troops to volunteer police officers from far away, to some of the most sophisticated detection and protection equipment." Further, The New York Times reported on January 5 that in 2005, "the federal government and the District of Columbia spent a combined $115.5 million, most of it for security, the swearing-in ceremony, cleanup and for a holiday for federal workers."
http://mediamatters.org/items/2009011900...

OBAMA!!!!!!!

Oh yes! The messiah has arrived. now we will live in plenty. there will be no unemployment,and there will be world peace at last!( and I have some swamp land to sell you)

I wish our president all the best, but a price tag on an inauguration that is approaching $200 million is excessive.

Good luck, President Obama. Don't stay too long at the party, there's a lot of work to be done. You asked for it and now you got it.